


Catch Up

by lostconstellations



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hasegawa Langa is a Good Friend, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Kyan Reki, Kinda, Kyan Reki Character Study, M/M, Minor Injuries, Self-Doubt, i want to give reki a big hug :((
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29262051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostconstellations/pseuds/lostconstellations
Summary: There are days when Reki considers giving up on skating. Abandoning his beloved board in a dark corner of his workshop, stowing his sticker collection in an old box, never stepping foot at the skate park ever again. He would drop the sport altogether, and everything associated with it, to the point where he forgets how or why he did it in the first place.Today is one of those days.
Relationships: Hasegawa Langa & Kyan Reki, Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki
Comments: 33
Kudos: 335





	Catch Up

**Author's Note:**

> i can’t believe my debut work for sk8 is just me projecting onto reki

There are days when Reki considers giving up on skating. Abandoning his beloved board in a dark corner of his workshop, stowing his sticker collection in an old box, never stepping foot at the skate park ever again. He would drop the sport altogether, and everything associated with it, to the point where he forgets how or why he did it in the first place. 

Today is one of those days. 

He’s walking home, alone, on his way back from a late-night practice session, his body aching and skateboard clutched to his chest. There’s a slight limp to his step, one that sends a sharp sting of pain up his right leg when too much pressure is applied. He’s got a new tear in his jeans and a couple of scrapes and bruises to match. He doesn’t remember the last time he saw a clean patch of skin. He’s secretly grateful that nobody else is around to see him like this, worn down and defeated.

_Catch up. I need to catch up. Why can’t I catch up?_

He rubs his temples as if to soothe the raging hurricane inside his mind. It doesn’t work. 

_I’m going to be left behind. Catch up._

At some point, his trips to the skate park stopped being fun and relaxing. The sensation of gliding down a half-pipe no longer fills him with adrenaline and excitement, but rather sends his stomach into uncomfortable knots. Learning new tricks isn’t fascinating, it’s a hurdle, one that he has to overcome before he’s left in the dust.

He’s at a plateau. Improvement has been stagnant, and, in his eyes, his skills weren’t that great in the first place. He doesn’t understand why he’s become so obsessed with it, he never had a problem with it in the past. All he knows is that skateboarding has become nothing but numbers and statistics, an exhausting and seemingly never-ending race to become better, stronger. One he’s getting tired of competing in.

_Catch up or give up._

The fluorescent lights of the local convenient store illuminate the sidewalk path he’s on, pulling him away from his thoughts. He pauses and checks his pockets for any spare change. 500 yen.

He walks inside and is greeted by the chime of the bell above the door frame. The cashier, a tired college student, spares him a quick glance and wave before resuming to her textbook. She doesn’t say anything about his new injuries. Reki’s been here enough times late at night for her to not raise any suspicions.

He makes his way to the back fridges, where a wide variety of drinks are displayed. As he’s scanning his options, his eyes settle on a particular brand of milk. 2%, reduced-fat, vanilla flavored. Langa’s favorite.

_Langa. I need to catch up._

His grip tightens on the door handle, and he squeezes his eyes shut. He has to stop thinking about it. _Needs_ to stop. He stands there for a bit, letting the cool air soothe him before grabbing a carton and heading back to the front counter. 

“Will this be all?” she asks, stifling a yawn.

“Yes,” he responds. “Long night?”

She hums and finishes ringing him up. He hands over his money, and she promptly places the correct amount of change in his hands. She doesn’t bother asking if he’d like a receipt or a bag, his answer is always no.

“See you later,” he says as he picks up the milk and pockets his change. 

He steps outside, opening the carton and downing the drink in one go. As he’s throwing his trash away, he can’t help but notice that the cashier had already returned to her textbook and was scribbling down notes in the margins of the page. She was like him, in a way. Laboring late into the night. He wonders if she was a victim of self-doubt as well, and whether or not her efforts ever paid off.

He sighs, turning towards the road that led home. His right leg starts to act up again, so he absentmindedly fiddles with the wheels of his skateboard to distract himself from the slight pain. The rattling fills the silence in between his steps. He’d have to replace them soon.

_I also need to catch up soon. To Langa._

He feels a bit guilty, thinking these kinds of things, letting jealousy poison his mind. Langa worked hard to get to his current skill level, and he isn’t at fault in any shape or form. Reki understands this. He’s proud of him, even. After all, he’s the one who introduced him to skating. Yet, at the same time, he can’t help but compare himself to him. It’s hard not to, given his rapid progression and popularity at the races. Though, it isn’t the fame he yearns for. He simply wants to skate with his best friend. Like they used to.

He supposes it’s fear taking over his mind. Fear that he’ll no longer be good enough. Fear that he’ll lose yet another friend. Fear that Langa will skate somewhere that’s out of Reki’s reach.

He hugs his board closer to his chest, desperately wishing that his brain had an off switch. 

He’s on the corner of his street now. He spots a tall figure standing in the middle of his driveway. He begins to panic, because why the _fuck_ was someone at his house this late, but as he draws closer he recognizes the mop of white-blue hair.

“Langa.” He stops short of his friend. “What are you doing here?”

“You’re limping,” he replies, ignoring his question.

_Shit._

“Yeah, well. You know how clumsy I can get!” Reki forces out a laugh and rubs the back of his head. He offers a sheepish smile and prays that the moonlight is dim enough to hide how strained it looks.

Langa stares at him with a blank expression, and he begins to shift under his gaze. The thing with Langa is that it was always difficult to tell what he was thinking. They’ve been friends for months, and Reki prides himself on being able to read him the best, but times like these make him feel absolutely clueless. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he speaks.

“Why are you out this late?”

“Oh, you know, just getting some extra practice in!” He waves his skateboard in the air to prove his point, but he quickly stops after his sore muscles scream in protest. He winces a bit, and Langa’s eyebrows furrow in confusion and concern.

“I could have gone with you, you know,” he says with a slight frown. “Reki, is there something you’re not telling me?”

Reki falters. He doesn’t want to burden Langa with his concerns, especially since they’re partially related to him. But he’s _so_ tired, and he has no one else to turn to.

“I… I need to catch up,” he mumbles, more to the ground than to the boy in front of him. “I wanna make you proud.”

“Hey, look at me.” He feels a pair of cold hands cup his face, lifting his gaze until amber eyes are met with piercing blue ones. “I’m always going to be proud of you.”

Langa is looking at him with so much love and sincerity. It’s by far one of the most intimate moments they’ve shared together. Reki can’t help but tear up a bit.

“But I’m so behind—” he starts.

“And that’s okay. Everyone progresses at their own pace. You don’t need to overexert yourself.” He pauses briefly. “I worry about you, you know?”

He rubs soothing circles into the apples of his cheeks. Reki melts into his touch.

“I know,” he sighs. “I just want to be good enough. Don’t wanna lose you too.”

“And you won’t.” He pulls one hand away and lifts his pinky. “I promise.”

“What are you, five?” he jokes. Langa rolls his eyes in response. 

He raises his pinky anyway, and their fingers interlock. The exchange feels sacred.

Langa pulls him into a hug, tucking his face into the crook of his neck.

“I care about you a lot,” he whispers into his hair.

“Me too,” he whispers back. “Thank you, Langa.”

Reki is aware that this won’t be the final conversation they have about the matter. His insecurities won’t magically disappear overnight. But right now, in the moonlight with Langa by his side, his heart and mind are at ease for the first time in weeks, and he knows everything will work out fine.

**Author's Note:**

> can you tell i that crave affection?
> 
> thank you for reading!! as always, kudos and comments are very much appreciated.
> 
> find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/asanoluvr)


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